Stupid Is As Stupid Does

Fairly early in my professional career, a boss of mine told me I was ignorant. Of course, I took that as an insult. Before I could reply (which was probably a good thing), he said that I wasn't dumb but rather was just ignorant of the facts. In other words, I just didn't have the knowledge that the situation required. It wasn't that I couldn't learn, but that I hadn't yet.

At the time I wasn't especially enamored with being called ignorant, but in hindsight I fully understand what he was trying to get across. He might have done it in a little different way, but I will say that the discussion has stayed with me all these years and I have used it many times as an illustration. So, I guess I should be glad that he called me ignorant.

Ignorant is probably not the worst thing I have been called, but at least I know how to fix my ignorance on most topics. In looking at the current state of affairs of our nation, I must agree with the comedian Ron White who said, "You can't fix stupid. There's not a pill you can take; there's not a class you can go to." And remember Forrest Gump who said, "Stupid is as stupid does"?

I was discussing this topic and the other person said that they thought you could fix stupid. I guess that is technically correct -- but usually stupid is a choice. I'm not calling anyone specifically out as being stupid because I sure have done my fair share of stupid things in life, but I hope that I have learned from those things and moved forward.

Some of the stupid things I have done have been as a result of my ignorance, so maybe sometimes stupid goes hand in hand with ignorance, and that you can fix -- if you choose to do so. That means sometimes you have to admit that you were wrong in some of your thinking and actually make a change in yourself and your attitude.

In Sunday School last week we had a long discussion about judging other people and holding them accountable. It was a frank and open back and forth, and it was obvious that most of us struggle with the fine line between judging and being judgmental. And there is a difference.

Every day we make judgment decisions and judge people by their actions. We need to remember that we should judge their actions and not the person themselves. We have to hold them accountable for the consequences of their actions.

We can and should speak up when things happen that we don't think are right, but we should remember that there is a way to disagree without being disagreeable. I have some very good acquaintances and friends that don't agree with me on politics, but we can disagree without personally attacking each other. We know that we won't change the other person's views and we can argue without getting mad and crossing the line.

I will readily admit that I have been guilty of crossing that line, and that's something I am going to work on in my life. But that doesn't mean I am going to back down for even one minute on the things about which I feel passionate. To do otherwise would be to be dishonest to myself and my God.

I will continue to call them as I see them and if people don't agree with my stance then it is their veteran-given right in this country to disagree. I will continue to speak out on things that I think are wrong (or stupid), but I am going to try to remind myself to attack the issues and not the person espousing the opposing view.

Yes, we all do stupid things, but too many people don't also want to take accountability for the results of those stupid things. Somewhere along the lines, too many people think that somehow they have the right to be stupid without consequences that come with it. Guess what people -- it doesn't work that way.

Unfortunately, in today's society, if you point out things that are wrong and what the consequences might be, you are labeled intolerant and guilty of discrimination and they attack you personally. That folks is the definition of stupid, and I think Ron and Forrest would concur.

-- Kevin Wilson is a former state representative who was born in Goodman and now lives in Neosho. Opinions are those of the author.